Kleinsorges gain weekly yard prize

"Yard of the Week" honors go to Bill and Joyce Kleinsorge, 1105 Dearborn St. Bill and Joyce moved to Baldwin City around four years ago from Colby.

They bought their house on Dearborn St. when their daughter, Pam, and son-in-law, Greg, moved from there to the country and began to operate a green house business. Their daughter is Pam Hamill of Hamill's Country Garden Nursery. The Kleinsorges both work full time, but often help their daughter in the greenhouse during her busiest times. Joyce helps transplant flowers and Bill helps with the mowing. Both help with the endless job of watering.

Moving from Colby, the Kleinsorges were used to Kansas' winds, but not the humidity. Colby is a clean little town where most everyone plants pretty flowers and keeps their yards well maintained. It was only natural for the Kleinsorges to take over where the Hamills had begun to landscape and continue planting flowers. Joyce and Bill enjoy having pretty flowers in their yard. Joyce often comments that she probably wouldn't plant so many flowers if Pam didn't send her home with plants saying, "Mom, I want you to try this," after helping her transplant all day in the greenhouse.

A low Kansas limestone wall outlines a flowerbed in the east corner of the front yard. A crabapple tree, ornamental grasses, iris, a burning bush, live-for-ever, sedums and rose moss are in this bed with an althea bush in the corner. A white ceramic duck peaks around the corner. A unique weather vein with a cutout of a rooster and windmill turns in the wind.

The curved area in front of the house is filled with an assortment of colorful flowers. There are: a Japanese maple tree, a birdbath and a sculpture of a little girl with a basket. A Western Kansas post rock is along the walk. There are fern, hydrangea and a white althea under the eve of the house. Profusion orange and white star zinnias, blue and lavender ageratum, snapdragons, cobity daisies, hot pink vinca, scaevolu, dusty miller, verbena, rose moss and Dahlberg daisies also make appearances.

There are mixed colors of zinnias with a larger bloom then Profusion and yet still small. These flowers surround a dwarf blue spruce. Beside the front door alcove sit a bench and two planters. An iron planter has lavender vinca. The planter of terra cotta color is a handsome combination of large green, white and wine caladiums with red and white begonias.

On either side of the garage door are planters of sweet potato vine, Joseph coat, daisies, ibosa vine and purple petunias.

Another island of flowers offers a warm welcome to visitors as they drive in the driveway. It is filled with day lilies, grasses, melapodium, mums, geraniums, iris, vinca, sweet potato vine, dianthus, zinnias and red petunias. There is a sweet gum tree planted along the driveway.

The west side of the house has plantings of peonies and spirea.

The deck overlooking the back yard has a hanging basket cascading with vining geraniums and another basket with a mixture of flowers. In the corner of the back yard there is a swing glider sitting near a windmill, antique water pump and a rustic birdhouse creating a scene reminiscent of the prairie filled with a variety of zinnias, lythrum, purple petunias, rudbeckia and yellow marigolds.

Several willow type trees offer future shade for this area. A large clump of pampas grass and several tomatoes are next to the back of the house. As one leaves the back yard, there is a large lavender buddelia in full bloom. Maiden grass, althea and forsythia bushes are on the east side leading back to the front yard.

The Kleinsorge's yard is an inspiration to the neighborhood. These busy people maintain a well kept yard, work full time and still find time to help their children with their business and be good neighbors. Their energy is amazing.

The Kleinsorge's yard was nominated by appreciative neighbors.

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Gardening quote of the week:

Grass may look greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed.